
Member Reviews

I loved this read it was cozy, emotional , heart throbbing, and the characters were chefs kiss I loved their bond this book will have you laughing & smiling at the same time this slow burn romance was captivating this author knows how to capture the audience for sure

A huge thank-you to Entangled Teen for giving me the chance to read this book.
Anyone who knows me knows just how much I love the story of Titanic. I’ve watched the movie over 150 times, read multiple books, and devoured countless documentaries about it. So when I heard Bound by Stars was coming out — and that it was being described as a sci-fi version of Titanic — well, there was no way I wasn’t going to read it.
Some might say the story isn’t entirely original, but for me, that was part of the charm. I adored every single reference and nod to the film. Each time I spotted a familiar name, moment, or detail that reminded me of the movie I hold so dear, I couldn’t help but squeal internally and feel a little rush of emotion. That’s something I truly appreciated.
The premise instantly drew me in. Set in a dystopian future where the divide between social classes is impossible to ignore, we get a refreshing role reversal: Weslie, the FMC, is the one dreaming of a better life, while Jupiter, a young man from a prestigious family, is trapped in a future that feels suffocating.
Weslie is intelligent, determined, and unwilling to settle for the life she has on Earth. Using her skills, she manages to secure a spot on a voyage that could change her future. She never expects to meet Jupiter — and even less to begin rethinking her long-held views of the elite she’s always seen as indifferent oppressors.
But instead of a peaceful journey where they can get to know each other, the two find themselves facing a string of dangerous, unforeseen events. Something is very wrong on board, and everyone’s lives could be in jeopardy.
I was completely swept up in the story. The descriptions of the ship’s different sections, the sense of space travel, the little details of the world-building — all of it was vivid and immersive. Both main characters and side characters were well-developed, and I found myself genuinely attached to them, feeling like part of the close-knit group that formed along the way.
Special mention to ISLA — I won’t spoil anything, but she’s amazing, unforgettable, and absolutely essential to the story in more ways than one.
I also loved the mystery element of this journey. Not knowing what was going to happen next, investigating alongside the characters but never quite figuring out what was truly behind the events, right up until the final twists — I LOVED it!
I turned the last page before I even realized it and immediately found myself muttering in frustration — I need the next book right now! Without a doubt, this has been one of my favorite reads of the year, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

This book wasn’t quite what I expected, but it was fun. I might pick up the sequel. I think it will depend on how the story stays with me going forward.

Bound by Stars by EL Starling was a book unlike any other I have read. This story is set between worlds, traveling to Mars, where Weslie is assigned Jupiter as her partner. Jupiter, being praised by those in high society, looks at her differently, and not in a bad way. Even though she's from Earth and clearly not in her element, something draws him to her and sparks ignite! Overall, this was a fun book and I appreciated the opportunity to review it.

The characters were amazing. The story was suspenseful and had a great twist. Excited to read whatever comes next from this author.

This was such a good YA read!! I loved the concept behind it and Weslie and Jupiters chemistry was really slow burn delicious! I love a good dystopian sci fi book and this was such a refreshing read for that genre. Would totally recommend this book to anyone who loves romance, sci fy, adventure, and crazy twists! 4/5

It's hard to believe Bound by Stars is the author's debut novel. It was an outstanding YA read! Often described as Titanic in space, and I can definitely see why. The story pulled me in right away with its compelling mix of high-stakes danger, hidden family secrets, and a dash of young romance. I absolutely loved Weslie, Junipers, and their tight-knit group of friends. Not to mention the delightfully snarky robot. This book had everything I look for in a sci-fi adventure, and I can't wait to dive into the second installment in the series.

Bound By The Stars swept me away into a galaxy of romance, danger, and destiny. ✨ E.L. Starling blends star-crossed love with high-stakes adventure so seamlessly that I couldn’t put it down. The chemistry crackles, the worldbuilding is immersive, and every twist kept me hooked. A perfect read for anyone who loves a little cosmic magic in their romance. 🚀💫

Bound By Stars is an enchanting mix of swoony romance, thrilling adventure, and sharp, witty banter that completely swept me away. Weslie, a fierce and relatable heroine from Earth’s ruins, collides with Jupiter, the charming yet duty-bound golden boy of Mars’s elite, in a slow-burn partnership full of tension and sparks. E.L. Starling crafts a dazzling sci-fi world with rich detail, high stakes, and heart-pounding twists, all anchored by a romance that feels both tender and electric. The blend of class conflict, survival, and love-against-the-odds had me hooked from page one. I couldn’t put it down—utterly captivating from start to finish.

Thank you Netgalley and EL Starling for the arc.
I really had a great time with this book. I loved the dynamic in space! It gave me Xenon girl of the 21st century vibes from the beginning.
I do love a good sci-fi space romance.

I really enjoyed this book! It's YA, Titanic meets space. Loved Weslie and Jupiter, but ILSA was definitely my favorite. Think AI robot with a sassy attitude. Great character development.

A fun and fast paced read!
Bound by Stars has a great mix of romance, adventure, and just the right touch of mystery. The characters are easy to connect with, and the story kept me turning the pages. I really enjoyed the world building and the connection between the main characters.

Okay so I grew up in the early 2000s and Zenon was one of my favorite childhood movies and this NA space travel romance just gave me all the nostalgia!
I’m thrilled someone decided to write this and it was the first space book I’ve even wanted to read.
Overall, I liked it a lot! I think the character development was great and they all had real depth. I came to love and care about them (or detest them), which is a hallmark of a great book - when you get invested in the characters and the story. Weslie and ILSA’s personalities were hilarious! I also think the romance was just the right amount and I felt a real connection between the MCs, which is what helped make the climax of the story more emotional. I enjoyed the dual POVs a lot.
I thought the ending was a little incomplete and rushed… but could that mean there is a sequel…? 😱 I don’t think there is… but I would totally read it if there was one!
Thank you so much to Entangled, the author, NetGalley for the advance e-galley.

Bound by Stars by E.L. Starling gave me serious The Expanse vibes—in the best way possible. With a richly imagined class system and a universe that spans across different sectors of space, this story pulls you in and refuses to let go.
At the heart of it is the slow-burn, enemy-to-lovers tension between Jupiter and Weslie—a privileged rich boy and a poor girl from opposite worlds who somehow find themselves entangled in a will-they-or-won’t-they dynamic that had me completely obsessed. Their chemistry is electric, and watching their relationship unfold added a delicious emotional layer to the fast-paced plot.
And then there’s ISLA—Weslie’s robot creation who shared her snarky personality. She completely stole the show for me. Hands down, my favorite character. Her one-liners, sass, and unexpected heart brought so much charm and humor to the story.
This book is a perfect blend of sci-fi, romance, and class commentary, and I’m already counting down the days until the next installment. Highly recommend to fans of space with young adult novels.
Thanks NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

This book had such an interesting and unique setting! I thoroughly enjoyed it! I loved Weslie and Jupiter so much! The characters are so relatable and lovable and the drama in this books was great as well.

Well, anyone knows I'm not a big sci-fi fan. Yet, this story was intriguing at first. An Earth girl, Westlie, won a golden ticket to Mars based on her robot, Ilsa. She would be tasked with giving a huge presentation on Mars. Jupiter was the son of the big elite company. They were asked to work together on her project. It was really slow in the beginning and middle of the book. And a bit more sci-fi than I anticipated. I felt bad that I was tempted not to finish it. So I pushed through it. I am also not a fan of cliffhangers which this was. If this wasn’t a cliffhanger then the ending was abrupt. Honestly, I enjoyed the best friends and wanted more of them. Westlie and Jupiter were great as well. Their relationship was cute. Overall, it was an okay love story that needed more of the love aspect in a story and less space jargon. I recommend if anyone loved Titanic and space stories you will love this. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

Great story line start, okay characters. On the scale of YA this is leaning towards the younger YA audience. The characters are cute but lack chemistry. The dual pov is always great when it comes to slow burn romance and mysterious plot line but the plot isn't really there as well. It was all social issues and class discrimination for the first half the book and it was hard to keep my attention. Overall if you are between 13-15 I think this would a great book but as an adult it was very meh.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book seriously had me hooked I finished it in one sitting!! I thought I knew where it was going...NOPE. Every time I got comfortable, it hit me with another twist, and I was just sitting there like, what just happened?!
Okay, so here’s the thing...I LOVED Jupiter from the start. He had me hooked the second he showed up. Confident, complicated, and actually way more caring than I expected. Total favorite.
Weslie, though? Girl… sometimes I just wanted to shake her and be like, what are you doing?! But that’s what made it so good...she’s real, she messes up, and she grows. By the end, I respected her a lot more.
The tension between them? Fire. And those plot twists? I was NOT ready. This book kept me guessing all the way through, and I couldn’t put it down. If you like romance with drama, sass, and characters that make you feel something, read this.
MY ONLY question left is when's the next book coming out?!

Book: Bound By Stars
Author: E. L. Starling
Publisher: Entangled
Book Length: 342 Pages
Overall Rating: 5 Stars
A bit of Titanic and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory vibes wrapped into a unique and exhilarating adventure! It was filled with twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. This book centers on Weslie Fleet who is a human from Earth who wins a golden ticket to this amazing trip to Mars! It is a luxury cruise spaceship starliner named Boundless.
Weslie is a smart girl from earth who created this amazing robot and has been chosen to be a competitor on the Boundless to Mars. Now her mother was not on board, however Weslie discovers this information before it is too late.
Once Weslie joins the ship to Mars she meets Juniper on the ship who is a teenage boy and from one of the most wealthy elite families on the planet (MARS). Weslie despises Juniper and of course they are paired together on a school project. Of course feelings start to develop too, what others are not aware of is that this ship is headed for disaster. No spoilers but it looks like a certain robot might save the day or maybe not. You need to read this fantastic book to discover the details.
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An epic YA story with a slow burn romance that I absolutely loved. It is an action packed adventure that readers will absolutely love! I don’t usually read about teenage romance but I really enjoyed this story. I can’t wait for Starling’s next book in this epic adventure! I was very impressed that this also was Starling’s debut novel. The story was very entertaining and unique, however one I definitely recommend.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing, Netgalley and the author E.L. Starling for an advanced readers copy. All words, ideas and thoughts are my own.
Romantasy✔️
Enemies to Lovers ✔️
Competition✔️
World Building✔️
Space Travel✔️
Adventure✔️
Slow Burn YA✔️
Titanic Vibes✔️
Mars✔️
Robot✔️
Found Family✔️

This book is the author's debut and it will be interesting to see what she does next.
I haven't read anything else like this.
The main characters are Weslie and Jupiter.
Weslie was brought up on earth ands wins a trip on board the Boundless journeying to Mars.
This was a slow burn romance something different and unusual. Worth reading. Titanic vibes.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.